The invention relates to a supporting and guiding arc for cast strands, in particular for cast slabs, having roller paths supporting the strand at opposite sides, the rollers of the roller paths being journaled on arcuate longitudinal carriers designed in one piece and extending uninterruptedly over the entire length of the guiding arc. Opposing transverse carriers are spaced along the arcuate longitudinal carriers in pairs in order to back them up.
Such a supporting and guiding arc designed in one piece has the advantage, as compared to a guiding arc assembled of a plurality of segments arranged one behind the other and whose segments are individually mounted on the base, that transitions occurring from one segment to the next segments have to be precisely aligned relative to one another, are avoided. By arranging the supporting rollers in uninterrupted arcuate longitudinal carriers designed in one piece, the rollers lie on pre-determined curve paths without discontinuities. Hitherto these roller-carrying arcuate longitudinal carriers have been installed in an arcuate, self-supporting framework. In order to prevent stepped transitions from the supporting and guiding arc to the bending and straigntening zones or to precisely align these transitions, the framework has been mounted with its ends on the base.
Its great weight has proved disadvantageous in this connection. In part this weight is due to the fact that in order to prevent the sagging of a guiding arc mounted only at its ends, the carrying framework of the guiding arc has to be dimensioned accordingly strong. In steel making plants with crane equipment for low charge weights only, it is necessary to take apart the guiding arc right there where it is for an installation and removal thereof.